The Accountability Advantage

Propelling Performance

In Episode Two of the Propelling Performance Podcast, Rob speaks with ‘The Accountability Guy®’ Darren Finkelstein about how to make accountability your super power and get it working for you. Darren outlines the seven barriers to accountability success and some simple actions you can use to move ahead; questions leaders can ask to help teams with accountability; how fear of failure and overwhelm stops progress; the power of an accountability buddy and the efficacy of old vs new tech accountability tools. He also shares some real-life accountability success stories.

“A lot of people don't share their goals, don't share their tasks, because their fear of failure overcomes the notion to want to share it.” – Darren Finkelstein

Listen to discover:

The seven barriers to accountability success and some simple actions you can use to move ahead:

1. Overwhelm – start with the easiest task

2. Overambition – start saying ‘no’

3. Not having a plan – break tasks into small chunks

4. The impact of past problems - review the positive and negative and learn

5. Not knowing where to start – find the first small step to build momentum

6. No reason to get it done – make sure it’s aligned with you and your role

7. No one cares – find someone who can help with your progress.

Rob’s experience working with founder/owners on accountability, matched to the BHAG, strategic planning, breaking down tasks and quarterly reviews

An American Society of Training & Development study on the steps to completing a goal, matched with probability…

• Having an idea – 10% probability of completion
• Decision to do it – 25% probability of completion
• Add a date – 50% probability of completion
• Make a commitment to another person – 65% probability of completion
• Commitment to more than one person – 95% probability of completion

How to assess what accountability means to you and your team

Five questions a leader can ask to help their team with accountability:

1. What do you have planned for this week?

2. Where exactly are you with that task?

3. Where do you want to be with the task?

4. What's stopping you from getting there?

5. How do you want to get there - what's your motivating factor?

Old vs new tech - ‘wall charts and butcher’s paper’ or online tech tools, it’s whatever works best for you

How high-performing leaders have found achievement simply by removing overwhelm

Darren’s personal story of accountability success.

“Accountability can be as simple as sitting down and finding a buddy, finding a partner, and agreeing to meet them at a certain time every week. That's where it starts.” – Darren Finkelstein

Take action!

• Ask yourself - how likely are you to achieve your goals, promises, obligations, or commitments alone?
• How many of the seven barriers do you recognise in yourself?
• Find someone who can hold you to account - an accountability buddy, or working group
• Find someone who is not a friend or partner, because they can’t ask the hard questions. Fresh eyes make all the difference.